DOUG HAWKINS Retired Australian Rules Football Player

Doug Hawkins was one of the finest wingers to have ever player in Australian Rules football.

After his retirement, he made his way into the politics that earned him some media exposure.

Born on May 5, 1960, Doug Hawkins’ full name is Douglas James Hawkins. During his youth, he was a supporter of North Melbourne. He was born and brought up in Melbourne’s western suburbs, which was known as an industrialised zone.

Despite the fact that he supported North Melbourne, he was asked to join Footscray because of the competition zoning rules that existed before the adaptation of national draft.

According to the zoning rules, since Doug Hawkins resided in Braybook suburb, his rights were zoned to Footscray club. Doug Hawkins finally made his VFL debut in year 1978 as a teenager and played for Footscray.

Playing Career

1978-1994 – Career with Footscray
Doug Hawkins played for Footscray for almost his entire career. Over the years, he emerged as one of the finest wingers to have ever played in Australian Rules.

He was so good a winger that one of the wings of Western Oval (which was the home ground of Footscray) as named after him as “Doug Hawkins Wing”. Doug had a very strong relationship with Mick Malthouse – the team coach.

There was enough gossip about this relationship but Doug Hawkins played it down during his induction ceremony to Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2004.

The 1994 season was Doug last with Footscray when he broke the long-standing record of Ted Whitten.

Whitten played 321 games for Footscray, which was eventually broken by Doug who played 329 games in total for the club and kicked 216 goals.

1995 – Fitzroy
Footscray did not renew the contract for Doug after he completed the 1994 season. As a result, Doug moved to Fitzroy Football Club, which at that time was financially strapped. Doug Hawkins played the last season of his career for Fitzroy, kicking 11 goals in 21 games throughout the season.

At the end of 1995 season, he declared his retirement.

Media Ties

Douglas Hawkins was not much into going around when he was off field. He was known as old-fashioned Aussie larrikin. However, he was the panel member of ‘The Footy Show’ that was telecast by Nine Network during mid-1990s.

The Nine Network often portrayed him as the court jester of the show. Later in 1998, he moved to Seven Network and appeared on Wednesday night show known as Live and Kicking, which was actually a rival of The Footy Show.

Career as a Coach

Douglas Hawkins coached the Bacchus Marsh Football Club and currently lives near Bacchus Marsh with his wife Raelene and three children.

Political Career

In Australian Federal Election of 2013, Douglas Hawkins stood as a Victorian Senate Seat candidate for the Palmer United Party.

Awards And Achievements

Douglas Hawkins has a handful of great achievements that are listed below:
• 1984 and 1986 – Selected for VFL Team of the Year.
• 1985 – Won the Best and Fairest Award of Footscray.
• 1990-1993 – Captained the Footscray team.
• 1991 – Emerged as the leading goal kicker of the season for Footscray.
• 1994-2006 – Record holder for the highest number of games played for Footscray.
• 2004 – Inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.

Douglas Hawkins will remain as one of the most prominent players for Footscray for years to come. Some of his records have been broken but his fame will continue to live.